lelliott19
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You may have read about Longstreet's men making "shoes" from the untanned hide of "beeves" when they were in East Tennessee? In his memoirs, Edward Porter Alexander (Longstreet's Chief of Artillery) gives us a glimpse of this improvised footwear when detailing events in East TN during the winter of Nov 1863-Mar 1864:
It was quite an amusing sight (to us) to see a ragged rebel with his feet tied up in a sort of raw beef-hide mocassin, which the men learned to make.... https://ehistory.osu.edu/books/battles/vol3/750
Pvt. Joseph B. Polley of the 4th Texas (Robertsons Brigade, Hood’s Division, Longstreet's Corps) references the "Longstreet Moccasins" as he describes a typical infantryman of Longstreet’s Department of East Tennessee in March 1864:
This representative soldier carried an Enfield rifle with forty rounds of ammunition. He had, rolled up in a threadbare blanket that was looped over one shoulder and tied at the ends, a scrap of tent cloth and a leaky poncho. His "uniform'' was well worn with one trouser leg torn off at the knee, and he had on a pair of homemade shoes [Longstreet Moccasins] that were worn out at the toes exposing his sockless feet. On his head was perched a ragged, greasy hat of nondescript appearance. This was the man who was carrying on his shoulders the hopes and prayers of the Confederacy for ultimate victory. He was hungry, he was dirty, he was in rags and often times he was barefooted but in spite of all these handicaps he was one of the best fighting men to charge through the pages of American history. http://4thtexascob.com/History.html#mar64
In his reminiscences of the march from Maryland to Fredericksburg, Lt Hugh W Barclay of the 23rd Georgia (Colquitt's Brigade, D H Hill's Division, Stonewall Jackson's Corps) sheds light on perhaps the earliest appearance of the failed footwear:
The weather was cold, the ground frozen, the men not too well clothed, and many of them barefoot. It was awful. One night on the march, Gen. Hill issued an order that the sergeants of the various companies should go wether the beeves were being slaughtered, and get their compliment of the hides, that the barefoot men should make their shoes and if any soldier was found out of his place next day and not in line, the commanding officer would be put under arrest. It was late at night when we went into camp, and the men without eating, fell upon the ground and were soon asleep. I managed, however, to arouse the sergeant who went for the hides and after his return, proceeded to awake the boys which I found a difficult matter. I told the consequences as it affected myself but they would turn over, grunt and say, "Lt. we will keep up", and again fall asleep. One or two got up and worked all night at the job. Strips for strings were cut from the hide, when enough of the hides was cut out to cover the foot, the hairy side inside, and then sewed up. Next morning standing by the fire, the hide would commence to draw up, and there was more fun. The new kind of shoe was a signal failure, when in contact with water or fire. The next day when one of these wet would fall from the foot, the soldiers bowing their heads, would pass it around and bawl like you have seen cattle when one of their number was slain. It was lots of fun and while the shoes were of no account, it was really a benefit.
Gen. Hill had his aids at different points along the road, and when a man was found not in his place, his name, company and regiment was demanded. That night I was ordered to report to Gen. Hills headquarters, going there I found about 60 officers, Captains and Lts., who were told to march in rear of their companies until further orders. In a few days we were at Fredericksburg, the Yankees about the same time, but who went into camps among the hills across the river from the city. Our division went into camp near Hamiltons Crossing and there was a general order releasing us from arrest before the battle of the 13th of December.... http://196thovi.tripod.com/23rdgeorgiainfantry/id34.html
Gen. Hill had his aids at different points along the road, and when a man was found not in his place, his name, company and regiment was demanded. That night I was ordered to report to Gen. Hills headquarters, going there I found about 60 officers, Captains and Lts., who were told to march in rear of their companies until further orders. In a few days we were at Fredericksburg, the Yankees about the same time, but who went into camps among the hills across the river from the city. Our division went into camp near Hamiltons Crossing and there was a general order releasing us from arrest before the battle of the 13th of December.... http://196thovi.tripod.com/23rdgeorgiainfantry/id34.html
Can you imagine? Every time you had to ford a stream, the hide would stretch until the "shoe" would no longer stay on your foot. And the men. laughing and mooooing at each other?
Paging all the other members of the DH Hill Fan Club to join me in celebrating the discovery of Hill's valuable invention. @OldReliable1862 @Nathanb1 @BillO and @RochesterBill (Yes there's only five of us. We are small but mighty! And, hey, at least we didn't make a Braxton Bragg Fan Club.)
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